he refused to help at all until
his religious duties were quite
over. The younger brother
felt very angry, and began the
fight with his own few: fol-
lowers; however, King Ethel-
red joined him at last, and
they succeeded in gaining the
victory. It was very soon.
after this that Ethelred died,
and Alfred became king in
his place. He would rather
that one of the sons of his
brothers might have reigned
first ; but as” they were very
young, and'as the choice’ of
the people fell upon himself,
he yielded to their wish,-and-
was crowned with the usual
ceremonies at Winchester.
It was a very troublous
timefor England, and although
the new King ‘was a good
soldier he had to bear some
severe defeats. For a while
he had to hide from every one,

and let even his friends be-

lieve him dead, or‘else he would have bech made a. | prisoner; One day, as he wandered in

the part of the country we now call Somersetshire, he caine to a little hut which stood
quite alone in a solitary place. ee

Dressed as a common wayfarer, nd one would have recogiiized Alfred as the king ; and
when he begged shelter, , the cow-herd and ‘his wife understood that he was fleeing from

the Danes, and guessing nothing, gave him the hospitality he neéded.